Submarine sound receiver



Nov. 6, 1928.

J. H HAMMOND, JR

SUBMAHINE SOUND RECEIVER Original Filed March 14, 1918 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a 1\ W Ma 11 1 ww an w aw #1; A TTOR/VEY Nov. 6, 1928.

J. H. HAMMOND, JR

susmnms scum) RECEIVER Original Filed March 14, 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet I INVENTOR WITNESS H/S ATTORNEY- Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITE STATES JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR, OI GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Q SUBMARINE SOUND RECEIVER.

Application filed March 14, 1918,,Seria1 No. 222,422. Renewed October 4, 1924.

Some of the objects of this inventionare to provide improved means fhr receiving submarine compressional waves; to provide an improved sound receiver in the form of an auxiliary body containing receiving apparatus for compressional waves and adapted to be operatively connected to a second or main body arranged to support means for detecting or means controlled by the compressional waves received by the receiving apparatus carried by the auxiliary body whereby the receiving apparatus will be protected from the disturbing effects of foreign noises and vibrations which may originate upon the main body; to provide in a'movable submarine bodyimproved means for regulating the depth of movement thereof; and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in vertical central longitudinal section of a receiver for compressional waves constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same partly in longitudinal central horizontal section; Fig. 3 a side elevation showing the receiving device operatively connected to and towed by a marine vessel; and Fig. 4 a fragmentary side elevation partly in longitudinal central vertical section of a modified form of the receiver shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, and'particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, one e bodiment of this invention comprises a hollow, elongated, rigid, body which has a stream line contour similar to that of a fish and which for convenience may be referred to hereinafter as "the fish. This body or fish 10 is provided with a ring or eye 11 rigidly secured centrally to the front end thereof, and

in this ring 11 is secured one end of a cable 12, the other end of which may be attached to a marine vessel 15 whereby the body 10 may be towed through the water, as shown in Fig. 3. The rear portion of the fish 10 is provided with a rigid, fiat guide or tail rigidly secured tothe body 10 and arranged in a plane extending longitudinally and centrally of the body 10 and normally substantially vertical.

For maintaining the fish 10 at substantially a predetermined depth while it is being towed through the water, the guide or tail 20 is provided with is arranged a propeller 26 which is rigidly an aperture in which secured to one end of a rotary propeller shaft 27 which extends axially through'the rear end of the fish 10 andwhich is rotatalily supported at its inner end in a fixed bearing 28 in which the shaft 2 7 is held. against longitudinal movement in any suitable manner, as for instance by two collars 29 and 30 surrounding and rigidly secured to the shaft on opposite sides respectively of the bearing 28. The propeller 26 and the shaft 27 are thus arranged to be rotated bythe. action of the Water as the fish 10 is being towed. Arranged' upon opposite sides of the front portion of the fish 10, are two flat, rigid blades and 36'which are rigidly secured to and arranged in a pTane with a normally horizontal shaft 37 which extends rotatably through-the fish '7 1'0 in a direction pcrpendicularto the longitudinal axis of the fish. Arranged upon opposite sides of the rear portion of the fish 10 are two substantially flat, rigid, auxiliary blades 40 and 41 which are rigidly secured to and in a plane with two aligned shafts 43 and 44 respectively which extend rotatably through the opposite sides of the fish and which are so arranged that their longitudinal axes coincide with a line perpendicular toand intersecting the longitudinal axis of the fish and extending normally in a horizontal direction. The inner ends of these two shafts 43 and 44 are rotatably mounted and held against longitudinalmovement in two fixed bearings 45 and 46.

For causing the blades 35 and 36, 40 and 41 to be oscillatedautomatically in unison and in such a manner as to maintain the fish 10 in a predetermined depth as it is being towed, the shaft 37 is surrounded by two sleeves and 51 rigidly secured there.- to and which are provided respectively with two pairs of oppositely disposed arms 52, 53

and 54, 55. The two shafts 43 and 44 aresurrounded respectively by two sleeves and 61 rigidly secured thereto. .These two sleev es 60, G1 are provided respectively with two pairs of oppositely disposed arms 62, 63

and 64, 65 rigid therewith and these two pairs of arms are arranged in alignment with the two pairs" of arms respectively 54, 55 to which they'arecon- 52, 53 and -nected respectively by two pairs of wires or other suitable connectors -70, 71 and 72, 73, whereby when the forward shaft 37 is rotated in either direction the two rear shafts 43, and 44 will be accordingly rotated.

For rotating the shaft 37 either in one direction or in an opposite direction depending upon the depth to which the fish 10 is submerged, a worm gear 75 is rigidly secured centrally to the forward shaft 37 and is engaged by two worms 76 and 77 which are rigid respectively with two parallel shafts 78 and 79 which extend longitudinally of the fish 10 and which are arranged to rotate freely and to beheld against longitudinal movement respectively in two pairs of stationary bearings 80, 81 and 82, 83. Rigidly secured to the lnner ends of these two shafts 78 and 79 are two vertically aligned gears 85 and 86. Between these gears is a pinion 87 which is rigidly secured to one end of a shaft 88, the other end of which is connected by a universal joint 89 to the inner end of the propeller shaft 27. The end of the shaft 88 carrying the pinion 87 is freely movable vertically and is held against lateral movement in a vertical slot 90 provided therefor in a fixed rigid vertical guide 91, and the pinion 87 is so arranged that it may be moved vertically out of engagement with either one of the gears 85 or 86 and into engagement with the other gear and is normally in engagement either with one or the other of these gears.

For controlling the vertical movement of the pinion 87 in response to the pressure of the water surrounding the fish 10, the shaft 88 is provided with an armature 95 of soft iron rigidly secured thereto and projecting vertically in opposite directions therefrom. Spaced upon opposite sides of this core 95 and arranged in vertical alignment therewith are two fixed electro-magnets 96 and 97. Covering a circular opening in the bottom wall of the fish 1s a circular diaphragm 100, which is arranged to vibrate a rod 101 one end of which is secured to the inner surface of the diaphragm 100 and the other end of which is pivotally connected to one end of a switch 102 which is arranged to be oscillated about a fixed pivot 103 by the rod 101. Arranged upon opposite sides of the free end of the switch 102 are two fixed contacts 104 and 105 which are electrically connected respectively to cor responding ends of the coils of the two-electro-magnets 96 and 97 by two conductors 106 and 107. The switch 102 is electrically connected to the other ends of the windings of the two magnets 96 and 97 through a conductor 108, a battery 109, a conductor 110 and a branch conductor 111. These two fixed contacts 104 and 105 are so arranged that when the fish 10 is submerged at a pre-determined depth both of these contacts will be spaced slightly away from the free end of the switch 102, and so that if the fish should rise from this position the decreased pressure of the water upon the diaphragm 100 would cause the free end of the switch 102 to be moved into engagement with the upper contact 105 to close the circuit through the battery 109 and lower electromagnet 97 this drawing the armature 95 downardly and consequently moving the pin- 7 ion 87 into engagement with the lower gear 86 to cause the worm 77 to rotate the gear n a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed 1n Fig. 1, to increase the declivity of the blades 35, 36, 40 and 41, and consequently to cause 75 the fish 10 to be moving downwardly in the water as it is being towed by the cable 12. If now the fish 10 should be drawn below the predetermined depth, the pressure of the water on the diaphragm 100 would be increased and would cause the free end of the switch 102 to be moved into engagement with the lower contact 104 to close the circuit through the battery 109 and the upper electro-magnet 96, whereupon the armature 95 would be drawn upwardly to move the pinion 87 out of engagement with the lower gear 86 and into engagement with the upper gear 85, thus causing the worm 76 to rotate the gear 75 in a clockwise direction, as

viewed in Fig. 1, to decrease the declivity of the blades 35, 36, 40 and 41, and consequently to permit the fish 10 to be drawn upwardly in the water under the action of the provided therefor in one of the side walls of the fish 10 or in any other suitable position, and arranged within the fish and operatively connected to the diaphragm 125 is an electrical oscillator 126 of any well known or suitable construction. cillator 126 is so arranged that when the diaphragm 125 is vibrated under the action of compressional submarine waves, the os-\ cillator will set up electrical oscillations in This osan electrical circuit 130 corresponding in frequency to the frequency of the compressional waves received by the diaphragm 125. The electrical circuit 130 is' extended through the front end of the fish 10 and either through or along the cable 12 and electrically 1 connects the fish 10 with the boat 15 whereby the fish it towed.

The circuit 130 is extended upon the boat 15 and arranged to actuate any suitable detecting or receiving means. For instance, the portion of the circuit 130 upon the boat 15 may contain a coil 131 inductively coupled to a coil 132 arranged in a closed oscillatory circuit 133 including a variable condenser 134 and arranged to control a detector 135 125.

of any well known or suitable construction. The detector 135 may be arranged to control a circuit 136 including a battery 137 and a relay 138 or any other suitable receiving instrument or device.

The relay 138 may be arranged in any well known or suitable manner to control the direction of movement of the boat 15 by controlling the operation of the rudder 140 by which the boat 15 is steered.

In the operation of the form of this invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, as the fish is being towed through the waterby the boat it is maintained at a sub: stantially uniform depth as a result of the action of the water upon the diaphragm 100, as hereinbefore described, and when compressional waves are received by the diaphragm 125 electrical oscillations are set up in the circuit 130 which act through the coil 131 to set up electrical oscillations in the closed oscillatory circuit 133 upon the boat 15, and these oscillations act upon the detector 135 to cause a unidirectional current to flow through the circuit 136 to actuate the relay or other receiving instrument.

In Fig. 4 is shown a fragmentary view of a modified form of fish constructed in-accordance with this invention. In this modified form the construction is the same as hereinbefore described, except that instead of having the shaft 37 arranged to be controlled by the wormgear 75 and the two wormgears 76 and 77 and the actuating mechanism for the worms 76 and 77, as hereinbefore described, this wormgear 75 and the two worms 7 6, 77 and the actuating means therefor are omitted and instead of these parts a spur-gear 150 is rigidly secured centrally to the shaft 37 and is arranged to engage a pinion 151 which is arranged to rotate about a fixed axis and to engage a segmental gear 152 which is arranged to oscillate about a fixed axis on a pivot153 which is fixed with respect to the fish 10. The segmental gear 152 is provided with an arm 155 which is rigid therewith and which projects forwardly from the fish 10. The outer end of this arm 155 is provided with a ring 156 to which is attached one end of the heretofore described cable 12. In the operation of this modified form of this invention the blades 35, 36; 40 and 41 are,

given such an initial rotary adjustment that when the fish 10 is submerged at a predetermined depth .and is being towed by the cable 12, the blades 36, 40, Q1 will be so inclined as to tend to keep the fish submerged at the predetermined depth. If, however, with the blades thus adjusted the front end of the fish should be drawn downwardly below the redetermined depth,

the change in the inc mation of the cable 12 would cause a corresponding rotation upon the segmental gear 152 in a clockwise direction with respect to the fish 10, as viewed in Fig. 4, and would consequently act through the pinion 151 to rotate the gear 150 in a clockwise direction to lessen the inclination of the blades 35, 36, and 41, and

to cause the fish 10 to ascend until it termined depth the change in inclination of the cable 12 would cause the segmental gear 152 to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction'to increase the declivity of the blades 35, 36, 40 and 41, and to' return thefish to the predetermined depth. In this manner the fish would be maintained at a substantially fixed predetermined depth while being towed by the boat 15.

Although only two of the many forms in which this invention may be embodied have been shown herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limitedto any specific construction but might be applied to various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or'thescope of the appended claims. f

Having thus described this invention, I claim: I y f 1. The combination with a movable body,

of means for maintaining said body sub-' merged at a predetermined depth while 1t is being towed through water, said means including a propeller arranged to be rotated predeas a result ofthe movement of said body I through the water.

' 2. The combination with a movable b0dy,n

of means for maintainin said body submerged at a predetermined depth while it is being towed through water, said means in-- cluding a propeller arranged to be rotated as a result of the movement of said body through the water, and means arranged to be controlled by the pressure of the water surrounding said body and to cooperate with. said propeller in controlling the movement of said body.

3. The combination with a movable body,

a plurality of depth control blades carried exteriorly of said body, power transmission means for turning said blades in either' direction about an axis, a shaft, means, for rotating said shaft as a result of themovement of said body through the water, and means controlled by the pressure of the water surrounding said body for connecting said shaft to said transmission means in accordance with pressure conditions, whereby said blades are turned to counteract any movement of said body away from a predetermined depth.

4. The combination with a movable body,

-a plurality of depth control blades carried exteriorly of said body, transmission means for turning said blades in either direction about an axis, a shaft, means for rotating said shaft as a result of the:v movement of said body through the water, and means ineluding an electro-magnetic selecting device controlled by the pressure. of the water surrounding said body for connecting said shaft to said transmission means in accordance with pressure conditions, whereby said blades are turned to counteract any movement of said body away from a predetermined depth.

5. The combination with a movable body, arranged to be propelled by means external thereto, of means for orient'ng said body in space, and a propeller operated by movement of the body in a natural medium for causing actuation of said orienting means.

6. The combination with a movable body arranged to be propelled by means external thereto, of means for orienting said body in space, a propeller operated by movement of the body in a natural medium, for causing actuation of said orienting means, and means for operatively connecting said propeller with said orienting means.

7. The combination with a movable body adapted to be moved through a natural medium, of means for maintaining said body at a predetermined level while it is being towed through said medium, said means including a propeller arranged to be rotated as a result of the movement of said body through the medium.

8. The combination with a movable body,

arranged to be moved through a natural medium, of means for maintaning said body at a predetermined level in said medium While it is being towed therethrough, said means including a propeller arranged to be rotated as a result of the movement of said body through the medium, and means arranged to be controlled by the pressure of said medium upon the body and to cooperate with sa d propeller in controlling the movement of said body.

9. The combination with a submarine body, of horizontal rudders for controlling the depth of submergence of said body, means responsive to the pressure of the surrounding water upon the body, a propeller arranged to be rotated as a result of the movement of said body through the water and a selecting device operatively connected to said pressure variant means for interconnectng said propeller to said depth cona trolling means selectively.

10. In a submarine body, the combination with horizontal rudders, a propeller arranged to be rotated as a result of the movement of said body through the water, a shaft driven by said propeller, a pair of connectin devices for operativcly interconnecting said shaft to said rudders to cause relatively diflerent movements of the rudders with respect to the shaft, and a selector device controlled by the pressure of water upon the body for selectively actuating said interconnecting device.

11.. The combination with a dirigible submarine body, of a propeller arranged to be rotated as a result of the movement of said.

body through the water, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the body, means for controlling the movement of said body in directions at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body, means controlled by the pressure of water surrounding the body, and means controlled by the con oint action of said pressure variant means and said propeller for governing said last named direction controlling means.

Signed at New York, in the county of and State of New York, this 5th day of March, 1918 A. D. 7 JOHN HAYS HAMMOND, JR. 

